2019 The Year of The Software Engineer

It’s no doubt 2019 will be The Year of the Software Engineer. With trends in 2018 such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Cyber Security dominating the latest technologies, the world of engineering has augmented into a self-propelling community of learners looking to widen their craft.

In 2018 we found “40% of engineers leave their job to learn something new,” and 64% say they left their job because their new company offers new problems to solve. As we look forward into 2019, we see a world where learning something new isn’t just for the novelty of having the upper hand at a dinner party, yet, learning a new skill, language, or system could be the lever your career needs to stay competitive in a changing landscape.

It’s equally important to recognize where tech salaries landed in 2018. From 2016 to 2017 Software Engineering salaries grew about 5%. Salaries grew the most in Austin at 7.8%, and engineers in the Transportation industry reached $145k (5.5% higher than the national average). Could 2019 be the year to relocate? Or shift industries?

With all eyes on Software Engineers this year, we put together a list of key steps to help drive your career further in 2019.

Learning something new isn’t the only player in the game. 74% of employees who left their job say they left for a higher base pay. Know your worth, relative to your current skill set with our interactive salary calculator.

2. Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate

One of the toughest things to control in your career is communicating your value. At Hired, we help you put your best self forward and pair you with your very own Talent Advocate. Talent Advocates are your expert personal sidekicks helping you land the job you want at the salary you deserve. Here’s the best advice our very own Talent Advocate, Katrina gave a job seeker this past year:

“I was able to coach him through the tough negotiation process, landing him $15k more from his top choice.”

“Transparency is key. A company cannot provide you with what you’re asking for if they don’t have all the information necessary to make a competitive and exciting offer. After helping this candidate put the offer he truly wanted on the table, I was able to coach him through the tough negotiation process, landing him $15k more from his top choice. Obviously, he signed on the spot!”

In 2018 we saw languages such as Java and Python rise to the top of the most in-demand skills. With online-educational organizations such as Udacity, Udemy, and Coursera, learning a new language is easier than ever before. Check out these essential courses for an agile (pun-included) 2019.

DevOps Fundamentals With Agile from Udemy.Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning Nanodegree from UdacityRuby on Rails Web Development at John Hopkins University from Coursera.